Two years after its initial reveal, Forspoken should be something of a known quantity. Many delays later though, and the game retains some unknowns, despite being just two months from launch. Forspoken has certainly not been helped by some problematic marketing from publisher Square Enix, and this, coupled with some fairly hefty delays, means that fans are still unsure what to make of the game. Recently exciting-looking gameplay reveals have begun to drum up anticipation again though, and fans will be hoping this will outweigh some bad publicity the game has experienced so far.
Square Enix has some history when it comes to poor marketing, with previous titles such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin falling victim to their own presentation. Both of these titles, however, managed to shrug this off and were well-received by critics and fans on release. Forspoken will be hoping to do the same, and the game has already gone some way to easing doubts with recent gameplay trailers showing off a fluid, engaging-looking combat and traversal system that looks to be unique when compared to some of the more conventional open-world titles.
Forspoken's Reception Has Been Mixed So Far
Forspoken's Frey Holland and the world of Athia have had a troubled development path so far. Gamers would've expected to have already gotten their hands on the title by now, but thanks to two delays this year alone, this is not the case. The most recent delay has pushed the title from October back to January 2023; Square Enix and Luminous Productions claimed it was a strategic decision, and developer Santa Monica Studio's God of War Ragnarok likely played a significant part in that thought process due to its early November launch. These delays have only served to frustrate fans, but should the final product be worth the wait, then these frustrations will quickly be forgotten.
Early marketing for Luminous Productions' ambitious action-RPG raised more than a few eyebrows thanks to trailers featuring some cringe-inducing dialogue, uttered without any context by protagonist Frey Holland. Frey herself may have a hard time being a likeable protagonist, and her feistiness and sarcasm haven't quite struck the right chord with some fans. Her apparent talkative nature is in danger of coming across as annoying, and it appears that she has a bit of work to do in order to win players over. Finding out more about her backstory may help this significantly though, and at a time when the industry is embracing female leads more than ever, her eventual popularity should not be ruled out at this stage.
Where the game seems to be shining so far is in its gameplay elements. Several trailers have showcased Frey's wide range of magical abilities which can seemingly be used for offense, defense, and even traversal. Frey has been shown zipping around the map using gliding and jumping spells, while her magic provides powerful and unique ways to dispose of enemies. The world of Athia promises to offer up plenty of challenge and intrigue, and Forspoken's spell combos should lead to some highly dynamic combat and traversal options. Open-world games usually stick to a fairly rigid template in terms of combat mechanics, and even navigation, so it's refreshing to see a title try to deviate from the norm.
While Forspoken still has some work to do in order to fully convince fans of its undoubted potential, judging by the most recent gameplay reveals, fans should find plenty to love about the world of Athia. Square Enix has a promising year ahead, with huge titles like Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth scheduled for release in 2023 as well. Barring any further delays, it will be hoping Forspoken kicks things off on a positive note in January.
Forspoken releases on January 24, 2023, for PC and PS5.
